Power transmission



M. P. WINTHER ET AL Aug. 5, 1952 POWER TRANSMISSION 4 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Nov. '7, 1949 Aug. 5, 1952 M. P. WINTHER ETAL POWER TRANSMISSION 4sheets-smet 2 Filed Nov. 7, 1949 FIGA.

FIG. 3.

Aug. 5, 1952 M. P. wlNTHER ET'AL.'

POWER TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. '7, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 c-z c-l F|G.6.SECOND GEAR THlRD GEAR Aug. 5, 1952 Filed Nov. 7,. 1949 M. P. wlNTHERr-:rAL

POWER TRANSMISSION FIGB.

FOURTH GEARl 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 C-2 C-l l-IILL` GEAR Patented Aug. 5, 1952actas Povvlnt' 'r'nANsMrssioN Y Martin P. Winther, Gates Mills,ananorvarai.

Findlay, signor to` Martin said Findley assignor Company, Cleveland,Ohio,

. ohio application November 7, 1949, serial No.

2 oiaims. (c1. '14e-74o) This invention relatesto power transmissions,and more particularly to a selective torqueecon verting `transmissionprimarily for automotive use.

Among the several objectsl ofthe invention may be noted the provision of.a light-weight, low-cost, reliable automotive transmission which willprovide a sequence of torque conversions for progressively effectingfour forward driving gear ratios plus a selectively operable brakinggear for hill use, and a reverse gear; the provision of a transmissionof the class described which for the number of change-gear' operationsavailable minimizes the number and complexity of gear trains, clutches,brakes, dental couplings and the like required, and which employsnorhydraulic couplings, valves or the-like; and the provision of asimply controlled transmissionpfthis class in which the number ofcontrols to be coordinated is minimized sothatit may be readilycoordinated with such automatic operations as may be desired. Y Y

Another object' is to produce a transmission which by means of a simpleelectrical control,

without the necessity of meshing and unmeshing gears, will'permit avehicle to be rocked back and forth when mired, or the like. Otherobjects will be in partY apparent and in part Vpointed out hereinafter.Y

Briey, the invention consists in first and vsecs ond alternativelyoperable friction clutches, with means whereby when the first clutch isclosed 'it is adapted, by selective connections through a fixed-centergear train, to a simple planetary gear train for first, second and hillgear opera tions; also when the second clutch is closed, it is directlyconnected (withoutthe fixed-gear train) to said planetary train forthird and fourth gear operations, said second clutch being connected tosaid planetary gear train throughv the first train for reverse gearoperation'. Only the setting of a brake' in connectionwith the planetarygear train is required to introduce a simple overdrive effect by theplanetary train to convert from rst gear to Asecond gear operation; anda resetting of this sainevv brake to- 4convert from third, gearoperation to fourth gear (or final overdrive) operation. Y y

Thefplanetary train includes a simple overrunning. clutch and a lockingbrake' for its sun gear,` and the first gear train is provided withsimple over-running and dental couplingawhereby selective connectionsmay easily be made .in both the planetary and' Xed-center trains to se-Vlect iirsif,v second or hill vgear operations when the Lyndhurst, Ohio;said P. Winther, as trustee',

Winther as* 'and to Eaton' Manufacturing f a corporation of first clutchis closed. Simple mechanical couplings are arranged in connection withthe second clutch 'whereby third, fourth and reverse gear operations maybe selected.

At the'outset it is to be understood that operation of theA transmissionmaybe regulated from any suitable control system, and that the inventionis not limited to any particular one of such systems, except'as to thesequence of control op'- erations required as disclosed herein. Whereasthe invention is independent of any particular structure that may beemployed to carry out the disclosedcontrol sequence, and whereas in factsaid sequence may be carried out` manually, the invention is described.in connection with the sequence of operations required, butindependently of any controls (automatic or manual) that might be used,whether those be new or old.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in'the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of theinvention is illustrated, Y

Fig. lis a longitudinal section through a practical embodiment of theinvention; 4

Figi. 2 is across section takenV on line 242 of Fig. 1, showing certainreverse gear connections Fig.v 3 is a cross section taken on lineV3-3 ofFig. 1, showing an end elevation of a locking magnetic band brake;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the operating parts of said band brakeremoved from other parts; and,

Figs. 5-10 are power flow diagrams, based upon simplified schematicillustrations of the parts shown in Fig. 1, wherein Fig.. 5 showsconnecttions for first gear, Fig. 6 for Asecond gear, Fig. 7 for thirdgear,4Fig. 8 for fourth gear, Fig. 9 for hill gear and Fig. l0 forreverse gear.

. Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

General assembly bly I is adaptedto be bolted at'ts forward end- Withinthe left clutch housing A is a rotary clutch housing designated ingeneral by the numeral 3. This clutch housing is made up of an outerring having an enclosing front plate 1VV The front plate and anenclosing rear plate 9. 1 carries a central hub for attachment to theusual flange carried upon the crankshaftof the driving engine, thefastenings for this purpose being indicated at I3. The hub carries acentral pilot ball bearing 23. On the periphery of the plate 1 iscarried the usual starter ring gear I5 for cranking the engine.Extending from the rear plate 9 is a supporting sleeve |1, supportedupon roller bearings I9 and 2|, the sleeve being rotary with the clutchhousing 3. The bearing |9 is carried in the frame The bearing 2| iscarried upon Vthe outside of a clutch quill 25, the latter beingsupported at the rear in a ball bearing 21 carried in the housing Thequill 25 is maintained coaxial with sleeve |1 by the bearing 2|. Anadditional sleeve bearing 29 serves to maintain this alignment. Withinthe quill 25 is a clutch shaft 3|, supported in the pilot ball bearing23 and within two sleeve bearings 33 within the quill 25.

At its left end the clutch quill 25 is splined to the hub 35 of a firstdriven clutch plate 31, having the usual clutch facings 39 Whererequired. The left end of the clutch shaft 3| is splined to the hub 4|of a second clutch plate 43, which has the usual clutch facings 45 whererequired. The connection between the clutch plate 43 and hub 4| is madeby way of conventional vibration damper springs 41, requiring no furtherdescription except to mention that similar dampers are not necessary inconnection with clutch plate 31. This is because clutch plate 31 is, aswill appearyoperative only under low gear conditions, wherein suchdampers are not as necessary as the higher gear conditions under whichclutch plate 43 operates. In some cases the damper springs 41V areunnecessary.

Attached within and rotary with ring 5 is a magnetic (ferrous) lring 49.is a second magneticl ring 5| which is generally S-shaped in'crosssection. Welded withinthe ring 5I is a third magnetic ring 53. Rings'49,5| and 53 rotate as a unit with the clutch housing 3 and form recessesfor annular magnetic field coils 55 and 51. These coils 55 and 51 areindividually excited by current introduced through brushes 59 and 6|,serving the coils through collector rings 53 and 65. These collectorrings 63 and 65 are mounted upon a conducting sleeve 61, being separatedtherefrom by an insulating sleeve 1|. Sleeve 61 is carried on sleeve |1.Suitable wiring, part of which is shown at B9, connects the collectorrings 53 and 65 with the coils 55 and 51, respectively, both coils beinggrounded to the sleeve 61 which is provided with a grounding brush 13.Suitable external circuits are provided through brushes 59, 5| and 13for selective excitation of the coils 55 and 51.

To the right of plate 31 is a rst magnetic pressure or clapper ring andto the left of the clutch plate 43 is a second magnetic pressure orclapper ring 11. Three fasteners 8l at equally spaced intervals connecta laminated assembly 19 of several thin sheet steel rings to themagnetic ring 11. Openings 83 in the plate 1 permit axial movements ofthe bolts 8|, as required by any Welded to ring 49r axial movements ofthe ring 11. It is to be understood that the cross section of Fig. lshows only one of the equally spaced bolts 8| and openings 93, theothers being out of the sectional plane.' Similarly, three equallyspaced fasteners 8|', movable in clearance openings 83' in plate 9,attach a laminated assembly 19 of several thin sheet steel rings to themagnetic ring 15. Also.

. means of fasteners the laminated ring 19 is supported at three equallyspaced intervals upon the plate 9 by In the section, only one of thesesupportsV appears. Likewise, the laminated ring 19 is supported uponplate 1 at three equally spaced intervals by fasteners 85, one of whichshows. From the above it will be seen that each magnetic pressure ring11 and 15 is attached to and supported from the clutch housing 3 bymeans of the nexible connection (laminated steel ring structures 19 or19'). The 1aminated rings 19 and 19', being ilexible in the axialdirection, allow axial floating movements of the magnetic rings 11 and15, but prevent relative rotary movements between these'rings 11 and 15and the clutch housing 3.

Thus if the inner coil 51 is excited to produce a toroidal ux field, asection of which is shown at 89 and which interlinks rings 15. 5| and53, the ring 15 is attracted magnetically to act as a pressure plate orclapper to squeeze the clutch disc 31 againstthe faces of rings 5| and53, thus effecting a closure of what will hereinafter be referred to asa first clutch C-I. If the outer coil 55 is excited to produce atoroidal ux field, a section of which is shown at 81 and whichinterlinks rings 11, 49 and 5|, the ring 11 is attracted to act as apressure plate or clapper to squeeze the clutch disc 43 against thefaces of rings 49 and 5|, thus effecting a closure of what willhereinafter be referred to as the second clutch C-2. When the clutches-C| and C-2 are closed, the laminated spring rings 19 and 19 supportingthe pressure rings 15 and 11, respectively, are axially sprung. When thecoils 55 and 51 are vdeenergized, these rings return to their initialunsprung positions, thereby retracting to withdraw the rings 15 and 11,thus opening the clutches C-I and C`2. Y Y l In view of the above, itwill be seenithat when coils 55 and 51 are unexcited, rotation vof theclutch housing 3 may occur freely without aiecting quill 25 or shaft 3|When coil 51 is excited, the magnetic ring 15 is drawn to the left toclose clutch C-I, thus to drive the quill 25. When the coil 55 isexcited, the magnetic ring 11 is drawn to the right tolclose clutch C-2,thus to drive the shaft 3|.

' Fired-center gear train The quill 25 reaches into the gear box B,where it is provided with a pinion 9|, meshed with a gear 93 which isrotary upon sleeve bearings `95, the latter being supported upon acountershaft 91. Gear 93 includes an extension 99 forming the inner raceof an overrunning clutch |0|. The outer race of this clutch is carriedWithin an extension |03 of a pinion |05, carried upon a sleeve bearing|01 supported upon the same countershaft 91. The overrunning clutch |0|is arranged such that when the flow of power tends to be from gear A93to gear |05', the extensions 99 and |03 become coupled for 1:1l rotationbetween said gears. When the now of power tends to be vfrom gear |05toward gear 93, the over- Irunning clutch |0| automatically releases oropens to allow overrun of gear |05 with respect to gear 93. Furtherdetails of overrunning V93 carries additional teeth ||3 clutches`areunnecessary, various .forms being'V knownbutthe clutches of this typeshown herein inner splines of the coupling ring I I gaged by shiftingthe latter to the left. locks together the n the overrunning clutch IBI.cent to the coupling ring Y bly of synchronizing parts |I which will notbe Within and adjafurther described since their vuse'is common inconnection withvdental couplings tovminimize tooth clash. Moreover, anyother suitable syny this point and the ac-V chronizer may be used atgears 93 and |95, immobilizing` carries splines. |53, theleft ends ofwhich engage with internalsplines |65 of a drive ring |61. .The rightends-of these splines |63 rare `engageable with-internal splines |.1Iof: the planet carrier |49, thus forming a dentalcoupling. Engage- Yment of the dental coupling may be effected withfoutdisengaging the leftends is shown anassemtion of the invention is not dependent upon itsexact form. The essential feature at this point' is the openabledii'ect-drivecoupling construction connecting gears 93 and |95 which,when open, allows operation of the overrunning clutchv IBI and whenclosed immobiliaes it.'v 'At ||'1 is shown an inter-mediate lshaftsur)-VA ported within a bearing i9 in the frame I. The

' leftend'of theshaft extends' into the gearbox B, lwhere it is lpilotedin the right end of shaft 3| by means of a sleeve bearing |2I. Thisshaft |1 carriesa'gear |23 meshing with the gear |95. The right-hand endof shaft l3| carries splines and the left-hand end of shaft I|1 carriessplines |21. An internally splined `ring|29 is movable from a positionto engage both sets of splines |25 and |21 to provide a 1:1 dentalcoupling between shaftsv |3| and ||1; or to a lefthand' positiondisengaging' splines |21 to open this coupling. Thus this ring |29lforms a dental coupling. Ring |29 is grooved, as shown, to acf cept aconventional shifter fork.

Ring |29 is also formed as a pinion |33, engageable with a gear of areversing cluster supported upon a stud |31 attached to the inside ofbox B; Thev other gear |39 of the cluster permanently meshes with gear93. When the ring |29 is moved to the left to cle-couple shafts 3| and||1, it meshes with gear |35. When -it moves to the right for couplingthese shafts, it

unmeshes from gear |35. Planetary gear train AShaft I|1 extends throughVthe locking brake lrijousing'v C (described below) and into theplanetary gear housing D. At its righthand end shaft |11 is splinestothe innerY race Ml of another overrunning roller clutch |43. The outerrace of the clutch is an integral part of the driven output shaft |41 ofthe transmission, which is supported in a bearing '295. When power flowtends to vbe from the race |4| to race |=45, the clutch |43automatically locks, so that shaft ||1 may drive shaft |41. When thetendency is for reverse direction of power ow, the clutch v|43 opens sothat shaft y shaft I1. Shaft |I1 is alsosplined to a planet carrier-'|49which supports Vthree equally spaced studs |5|,` one of which is shownin the ycross section. Supported upon needle bearings on the studs areplanet gears |53. Interiorly, vthese mesh with a sun gear on a couplingquill |51. Externally, planet gears |53 meshwith the inside of anannular ring geary |59. AThe internal teeth of this annular gear y| 59also form a splined connection with splines IGI on the outer race |45forming part of the shaft |41. The quill |51 also |41 may overrun yshifter fork.

of the splines from |55, thev entire quill |51 being shifted for thepurpose. When the quill is shifted, the sun gear |55 will remain insuicient driving mesh with the planet gears |53. Attached to the quill|51 around the splines |63 is a member |99, for-ming a circular groovefor accepting a suitable the splines Locking brake The drive ring |61has a splined permanent connection |13 with abrake drum |15 inthe brakehousing C. Drum |15 is supported on a pilot sleeve bearing |11 on a xedsleeve |19 extending from the housing I, the shaft |1 passing throughthis sleeve |19. y v

' 'A magnetic 'brake .isprovided for the brak-e drum |15,tl'echa'racter"v of which will be Vclear from Figs. v3 and 4. It isconstituted bya lined coiled vbrake band |9| vwhich is anchored at |93to anranchor pin |55 carried in the box C. The other end `|81 of theband IBI is attached to one side of an arcuately formed magnetic lbox|99. The other side of the box is attached at |91 to a second lin-edcoiled brake band |93.- The `direction of coil of the two helices IBIand |93 is the same. The end of the band |93 not attached to the box |99is anchored at |95 to said pin |85. Inside the box |89 is a magneticpole |91 which, like the wallsof the box, arcuately ts the surf-aceofthe drum |15. Around `this pole |91 is wound an electric ycoil |99 whichmay be energized through leadsf'ZI. There is insuicient initial frictionbetween the bands |8| and |93 on the one hand, and the surfaceof drum|15 on the other hand, to initiate any'servo braking action when thecoil |99 is unexcited When th-e coil |99 is excited,gtheresulting fluxfield causes. the box |89 (including the pole |91) to cling to th-esurf-ace of drum F15, which initiates wrapping action upon oneV or the.other of the coils |8| or |93, depending uponthe direction of rotationof the drum. This initialv action is followed by a friction'al servoaction from the respective coil to lock the drum |15 against rotation.It will be seen that when. the magnetv causes tight wrapping of one coil,such as IBI, the tendency is to loosen the other coil |93', and viceversai `depending upon the direction of rotation of the drum |15immediately preceding braking. Play, such as indicated at 293 inconnection with the anchors |93 and |95,permits this action. The purposeof the electromagnetic `servo brake above described is instantly to lockthe drum |15 against rotation whenever the coil |99 is energized. Thislocks the sun gear |55 of the planetary geartr-ain in box D.

Operating conditions Below is an operating table indicating theconditions vof various items, namely, of the magnetic friction clutchesin housing A, dental couplings, and overrunning clutches in fixed-centergear housing Bi, dental .couplings and overrunning clutches in planetarygear housing D, and magnetic lbrake in brake housing C.' As `alreadymade clear, these settings may be determined by external sequencecontrol mean-s responsive to any desired independent variables such as.manual locked, the sun gear |55 becomes stationary and operations', carspeed, engine speed, throttle condition, or. the like; or they may beresponsive entirely to manual operation. The table may be consulted inconnection with the descriptions of torque,` thus providing second gearoperation. It will be lseen that second gear operationV thus amounts tousing the same fixed-center gear box B' for the drive and employing theplanetary gear operationsgiven immediately below. box'D as a'planetaryoverdrive.

` Operating table Operation Rem F't s d 'rh'd Fui R Rk Y 1rs econ 1r oureverse oc ing Gear Gear Gear GearA Hm Gear Gear Action Clutch CV-l..iClosed Closed... Open Closed...` i Closed. Clutch C-2 Open Open Closed.Open..... Dental Coupling 129.....-. Closed Closed.... .....do...-..Closcd- Opened Dental Couplingll1-. Opened Opened..- Opened..- Opened.do ,Y Overrunuing Clutch 101. Locks Locks..... Releases... Releases...Immobilized-. Immobilized.. Immobllized. Dental Coupling 163.... OpenedOpened... Opened... Opened... Opened.. Closed C sed. Overrunning Clutch143. Locks..... Releases... Locks Releases-.. Releases.. Immobilized.-Immobilized. Brake Drum 175 Released.. Locked.... Released.. Locked....Locked... Released Released. Gears 133 and 135 UmneshedA Unmeshed.Unmeshed. Unmeshed. Unmeshed Meshed Meshed.

In connection with schematic Figs. 5-10, which show operatingconditions, it should be understood that they are entirelydiagrammatic.` For practical ratios of. gear pitch diameters, clutchdiameters, brake diameters, etc., Fig. 1 controls. The primary purposeof Figs. 5-10 is to indicate power flow under various conditions ofparts indicated in the above table. The power flow is indicated bystippling.

First gear openation (Fig. 5)

Assume the clutch housing 3 to be driv-en from the engine and rotating.Clutch C| is then closed by exciting coil51, coil 55 being unexcited andclutch C-2 o-pen. This rotates quill 25 and gears 9| and 93. Sincec-oupling I is open, the tendency for gear 93 to overrun gear |05 willcause clutch |0| to lock, thus driving gear |05. Gear |65 drives gear|23, and coupling |29 may be closed as shown. This rotates shaft ||1.Clutch C-2 is deenergized and open, permitting shaft 3| to follow shaftH1, coupling |29 being closed. Since the dental coupling |63 is at thistime open and the brake |15 is released, there is no point of reactionto the frame for the planetary gears |53. Hence shaft |1 tends tooverrun driven shaft |41but cannot do so because overrunning clutch |43locks. Thus in first gear drive, speed is reduced and torque stepped uponly by o-peration through the fixed-'center gear train in the box B,the pitch diameters of these gears being such 'as to provid-e thedesired first gear ratio.

Second gear operation (Fig. 6) $55 It will be noted from the operatingtab-le that the only outside-controlled operation required to convertfrom rst gear operation to second gear operation is to lock the brake|15, which involves only energizing coil |99. Then the power flow is thesame as it was in first gear operation from clutch C-| through gears 9|,93, |05, |23 to shaft I1. However, since the brakel |15 has been Thirdgear operation (Fig. 7)

As shown in the table, clutch C| is opened and clutch C-2 closed, whichtransfersthe engine drive from the quill 25 to the shaft 3|'. Sincedental coupling |29 is still closed, shaft ||1 is directlypower-drivenfrom shaft 3|. Since the brake |15 is now placed in the samereleased con. dition that it was under first gear operation, the sungear |55 again provides no reaction against the frame and theoverrunning clutch |43 again automatically locks and provides a directcoupling between shafts ||1 and |41. The result is that there is adirect connection between the engine and the shaft |41, neither thefirst gear train box B nor the overdriving planetary gear box D beingeffective to change torque. Thus third gear operation is a direct drivebetween` the engine and shaft |41.

Fourth gear operation (Fig, 8)

Fourth gear operation is intended to provide an overdrive under normalcruising speeds of the automobile served by thetransmission. lTo bringfourthv gear operation into play, it is necessary only to lock the brake|15 (energize coil |99). This requires only the same kind of `simpleexternal control as was required to 'produce second gear drive from rstgear drive. The power iloW is the same as that in third gear, exceptthat since the sun gear |55 becomes locked and provides a reaction tothe frame. for the planetary gears |53, the vplanetary gear functions asan overdrive, the over-running. clutch |43 automatically releasing.Hence in fourth gear operation the speed of shaft |41 increases andtorque decreases.

Hill gear operation (Fig. 9)

It is not desirable in a transmission of this class to limit theoperator to downhill operation in speeds such as third gear or fourthgear, because of the small mechanical advantage of the engine in respectto the road wheels under such inverse drive conditions. UNor is firstgear satisfactory, for although the mechanical advantage of the engineactingvas a brake is suicient, the downhill car speed is too slow. Themechanical advantage afforded in second gear is about correct, givingsufficient torque advantage to the engine for effective braking controland sufficient car speed for convenience. However, second gear cannot beusedv for the purpose with the dental coupling `in the open conditionfor second gear operation (note Eig. 6). This is because, if in secondgear an inverse drive is applied from shaft |41 129 being v3| to thexedgear reverse gearing |33, 135,

'ning clutch |43 being to theiengine-coupled clutch rC-1, the clutchy|01 cfu-a braking effect. In order to avoid this, as

shown -in Fig-` 9, dental coupling |11Y is closed. ClutchC-Z is open andclutch C-1 is closed. Overrunn'ing clutch 101 vthen'becomes inoperativeor immobilized. It neither overruns .nor is responsible for theconnection between gears 93 and 105. Thus, as will be seen from Fig. 9,shaft .141 Vdrives through the active planetary train of box `Dinversely through the fixed-center gear train inbox B, the drive beingthrough gears 123, 185, 93, 9| to quill 25 and closed clutch C-I, clutchhousing 3 and to the engine. Since the latter is then driven vfrom theroad wheels, it acts as a resistance to hold thev car under control indescending any hill on which it is desired to' use the hill gear.v

Reverse gear opera-tion (Fig. 10)

For this drive, the clutch C-1 is opened Aand Vthe clutch C-2 is closedaftergear |33 is moved forward to mesh with gear |35. Dental couplingthen'opened, the shafts 31 and 1'11 have broken. This couples shafttrain in box B through the Y 139 to gear 913. Dental 'coupling |11remainsy closed. The overrunning clutch |81 remainsimmobilized, so thatthe drive proceeds from gear 93 through gears H35 `and 123 to shaft Hl.Dental coupling |63 is closedby engagement at teeth 1l 1 .Y This ineffect locks the sun gear 155 with' the carrier 111s. There being thenvno relative motion between the planetary gears |53 and the sun gear; berotated at the same speed as the sun gear 155. This imparts motiondirectly to driven shaft I4? their direct coupling from shaft 1 11,throwing the planetary gear train Aout of torque-converting action,although it transmits torque. At this time the overrunning clutch |43becomes immobilized in its action. The result is that the entireplanetary train in box' D is locked to rotate as a unit andconsequently, shafts |1'1 and 14'1 rotate together. SinceV the planetarytrain is prevented from acting` as a torque converter., all of thetorque is converted in thexedcenter v.gear box B. It is to be notedthat'under these conditions the brake 1'15 is released. Since the gearcluster 135, 13S acts as a reversing train between shaft 31 and gear 93the operation of shaft |41 `will be in reverse with respecttotherotation of shaft 3 1. A y

VIt will be noted that if it were not for the overrurining clutch |43,a'reverse drive could be obtained in rst or vsecondv gear. by meshingkgear 133 to 135. But this cannot be done because the reverse actingshaft 111 would then cause it to overrun the shaft 1M in Va backwarddirection and transmit no power to shaft |111 (see Figs. 5 and 6). It isfor this reason that the coupling I |53 is closed when gears |33 and 135are connected for reverse (Fig. 10) Closing of this coupling |63 has theeffect, as stated, of locking together all of the planetary parts sothat the entire planetary system rotates as a whole, the overrunlockedout of action.

Rocking action It is often desirable to rock a vehicle when mired orwhen in heavy snow or the like. Rocking action can readily be broughtabout simply by alternately energizing andv deenergizing clutches C-1and C-2, referring to the Fig. 10 connections. From this figure it willbe seen that such alternate energizing of these clutches the ring gear|59 will economical'to build and sion relies for many ofr in a floatingmanner.

. $10 applies torque to gear 93 in either forward or ,reverse direction,thusfcausing the whole transmission to operate reversibly in response toalternate energizations of clutches C`1 and C-2.

Advantages A small-number of meshing gears is required and these. are ofthe simplest variety, having few 'moving tooth meshes. No compoundplanetary action is employed'. The-train in gear box B is' of thefixed-center variety. The train in box Dis yof the simplepla'netaryvariety that has been 'found in common use to Abe' most trouble-free,particularly in overdrive attachments. Moreover, considering the numberof-speeds that are available, "four speeds forward, hill gear andreversegear, the transmission is lightweight and hence very practicalfor use in a low cost automobile. The magnetic operation ofthe clutchesC| and C-2, and of the planetary gear brake in box C, permits simpliedexternal controls for these three items. Only the dental couplings 111,129 and 163 require external mechanical control linkages'.v Theoperation of the overrunning clutchesA 10| `and ,on a vdowngrade to hilldrive it is only necessary to close the dental coupling 111.

` It is to be understood that while the transmisits improved functionsupon the combination of the reverted fixedcenter gear 'train in box yl?.and the planetary gear train in box D, some advantages 4accrue fromsubcombination of the ,multiple clutches C1 and C-2with the train in thebox B. It is also lto be understood thatadvantages exist in thei'ioating laminated ring mountings 19 and 19 between the clutch housing3 and the magnetic rings '1'1 and '15, whereby the latter are supportedThis simplifies the magnetic clutch construction'since no spline or pinconstructions are required to iioat the magnetic rings.

It shouldbepnoted that gears 9s and los are in effect coupled as acluster under first gear, second gear, hill gear and reverse gearoperation.

eliminate back driving from gear 123 through gears |65, 93 and 91 underthird and fourth gear operations when clutch C-1 is open. VUnder theseoperations the driven disc 3'1 ofclutch C'1 and. parts 11, 91, 93 mayvrotate indiiferently, instead of being rotated at unnecessarilyhigh'speeds. The purpose of the coupling r111 is to eliminate theoverrunning action of the overrunning clutch |01 during the inversedriving in hill gear and in` reverse gear, these being the only timesthat the automatic actionsof this clutch 10| are not desired.

The ability to rock a mired vehicle simply by alternately energizingclutches C'-| and C-2 (under the Fig. l0 arrangement) is of considerableadvantage.

Reference to the iixed-center gear train in the box B as being areverted train means that the action through the train of gears 91, 93,and 123 passes from the shaft 3i through the gears 93 and |05 on thecountershaft 9'!` and reverts back to the co'untershaft which is coaxialwith the shaft 3| 'The common aXisfof shafts 3| and |I is the aXiso'f:reversion.

Reference is hereby made under the provisions of Rule 78 to theapplication of Martin P. Winther, one of thea'pplic'ants herein andcoassignee of said application and a part of the present application;said application being viden- `til-led as Serial No. 132.764,'ledDecember 13,

1949, for Magnetic Clutch.

In'view of the above, it will be seen that'the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other'advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in' the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall beinterpreted as'illustrativ'e andnot in a :limitingsense.

We claim:

1.i A transmission comprising a first selectively 'operable clutchhaving a first driven member carrying a gear, a second selectivelyoperable clutch having a second driven member carrying one element of anoperable first direct coupling, both clutches being driven" from acommon element,a driven intermediate shaft coaxial with said drivenmembers, said driven shaft carrying a gear and a driven element of saidfirst direct coupling; a fixed-center gear train comprising a`c'ountershaft supporting a rst gear meshing with the gear'on'said rstdriven member and `a secondv gear meshing with the'gear on saidintermediate shaft, a'n overrunning clutch adapted to connect saidlasttwoigears so that the former may drive the latter in a 1:1-ratio orthe latter may overrun the former,-an openable direct couplingbetweensaid last-mentioned gears adapted when closed to immobilizesaidoverruning clutchgareverse gear element meshed .with rsai-d first gearon the countershaft,l a gear coordinatelyj movable with said firstdirect coupling -anddriven by the drivenmember of the. second clutchadapted to mesh With said reverse gear Yelement when said first openabledirect coupling is iopeiuanal driven shaft, a planetary gear trainconnecting the intermediate driven shaft with the nal driven shaft; saidplanetary gear train .consisting of a sun gear, abrake for locking orreleasing the sun gear, an openable 1:1 coupling between the sun gearand said intermediate driven shaft, a planet gear meshing with the sungear, a planetary carrier on the intermediate driven shaft carrying saidplanetk gear, a geary a engaged by said planet gear and connected with'the final driven shaft, and an overrunning clutch between theintermediate driven shaft and the nal driven shaft. u

2. 'A transmissioncomprising a rst selectively operable clutch having adriven quill-carrying ing a driven shaftpassing through the quilljandcarrying one element of an openable rst direct coupling, both clutchesbeing driven from acommon element, a second and intermediate drivenshaft coaxial with said quill, said second driven shaft carrying a gearandadriven element of said openable direct coupling; a fixed-center geartrain comprising a countershaftv supporting a rst gear meshing with thegear on said driven quill and a second gear meshing with'the gear onsaid intermediateshaft, an overrunning clutch adapted to connect saidlast two gears so that the former may drive the latter in a 1:1 ratio orthe latter may overrun the former, an openable direct coupling betweensaid last-mentioned gears adapted when closed to immobilize saidoverruning clutch; a reverse gear cluster having one element meshed withsaid rst gear on the countershaft, a gear coordinately movable with saidfirst openable direct coupling and driven by the driven member ofthesecond clutch adapted to mesh with said reverse gear element whensaid openable direct coupling is open; a final driven shaft, a planetarygear train connecting the intermediate driven .shaft With the finaldriven shaft; said .planetary gear train consisting of a sun gear, abrake for locking or releasing the sun gear, an openable 1:1 couplingIbetween the sun gear and said intermediate driven shaft, a planet gearmeshed with the sun gear, a planetary carrier onrthe intermediate drivenshaft carrying said planet gear, aring gear engaged by said planet .gearand connected with the final driven shaft, and an overrunning clutchbetween the intermediate driven shaft and the nal driven shaft.

MARTIN P. WINTI-IER. HOWARD J. FINDLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

` UNITED STATES PATENTS

